Electrical controlling apparatus



. Nov. "13, 1945. P. H. cRAGo 2,388,956

ELECTRICAL CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed June 19, 1943 (E21? KY I INVENTOR 1Y1! ATTORNEX Patented Nov. 13, 1945 ELECTRICAL CONTROLLING APPARATUS Paul H. Crago, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignor to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 19, 1943, Serial No. 491,447

7 Claims.

My invention relates to electrical controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type in which a neutral device, such for example as a neutral relay, is controlled over a circuit arrangement which includes the conductors of a polarized control circuit scheme.

In one arrangement of this type which has previously been used, a neutral relay is energized through afull-wave rectifier from the conductors of a polarized control circuit. A disadvantage of such an arrangement is that the neutral relay might be falsely energized from an adjacent alternating current power line,

In another arrangement which has previously been used, a neutral relay is energized from polarized control conductors through contacts of a polarized relay. A disadvantage of that arrangement is that it requires additional polar contacts on the polarized relay.

One feature of my invention is the provision of a mid tap or a common terminal for two pertions of the winding of a neutral relay, so arranged that if a given terminal of a source of current is connected with the mid tap or common terminal, and if the opposite terminal of the same source of current is connected with the ends of the winding, the magnetic flux generated by the two portions of the winding will be in the same .direction. With such an arrangement, a further feature of my invention is the provision of a circuit including one of the conductors of a polarized control circuit for energizing one of the portions of the winding of the neutral relay while the other portion is deenergized, and the provision of a second circuit including the other conductor of the polarized control circuit for energizing the other portion of the winding of the neutral relay while the first portion is deenergized.

I shall describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, a stretch of railway track is shown divided by insulated joints into sections 2T, ST and 4T. Each of these track sections is provided with a track circuit, including a source of current such for example as a battery 6 connected across the rails adjacent one end of the section, and including a track relay designated by the reference character R preceded by a numeral corresponding to the numeral associated with the reference character T for the same section.

Trafiic movements toward the left, as shown in the drawing, which I shall assume is the westbound direction, are governed by signals designated by reference characters I and 3, and traflic movements in the opposite or eastbound direction are governed by signals designated by the reference characters 2 and 4.

Control relays for signals 2 and 4 are shown designated by reference characters 2H and 4H, respectively. Only a portion of the circuit for controlling relay All is shown, including contact 1 of relay 4R.

Relay 2H is of the polarized type, provided with normal and reverse energizing circuits controlled by pole changing contacts l2 and I! of relay 4H and by contacts of track relays 2B and 3R. The energizing circuits for relay 2H are supplied with current from a suitable source such, for example, as a battery Q having terminals B and 0. Relay 2H operates contacts 8 and 9 for controlling signal 2.

A directional stick relay 5S, associated with signal 4, is shown controlled by relays EH and 4R in a well-known manner.

A slow release neutral relay 2P is provided with a mid tap or common terminal 22 for the two portions 23 and 24 of its control winding which is connected in multiple with the winding of relay 2H. Mid tap 22 is connected with terminal B over a conductor 20, through contacts of relays 2B and. 3R, and through contacts of relays 4H and 48 connected in multiple.

Relay 2? operates pole changing contacts l0 and l l for controlling the next signal in the rear of signal 2.

As shown in the drawing, all parts are in the normal condition, that is, the track sections are unoccupied, and hence relays 2R, 33 and 45, are energized; relay 2H is energized by current of normal polarity, and hence signal 2 is indicating proceed; relay 4H is energized, and signal 4, which is the next signal in advance of signal 2, is also indicating proceed; rela 2]? is energized; and relay AS is deenergized.

The normal control circuit, by which relay 2H is energized, passes from terminal B of battery Q, through contact 42 of relay 15H, contact 13 of relay 3R, conductor contact E5 of relay 2R, winding of relay 2H, conductor is, and the front point of contact ll of relay 2H to terminal 0 of battery Q.

Portion 23 of the winding of relay 2? is energized by a circuit passing from terminal B, through contacts [8 and iii of relays 2H and BE, respectively, conductor 20, contact 2! of relay 2R,

terminal 22, portion 23 of the winding of relay 2P, conductor l6, and front point of contact I! of relay 4H to terminal 0. At the same time, portion 24 of the winding of relay 2P is deenergized, and is connected in a shunt path having no source of current, this shunt path passing from terminal 22, through contact 2l of relay 2R, conductor 20, contacts l9 and I8 of relays 3B. and 4H, respectively, front point of contact I2 of relay 4H, contact [3 of relay 3R, conductor [4, and contact I5 of relay 2R, back to portion 24 of the winding of relay 2P. With portion 23 of the winding of relay 2P energized, contacts [0 and II of relay 2P are closed at their front points.

I shall assume that an eastbound train moves over the stretch of track shown in the drawing. The train, upon passing signal 2, deenergizes relay 2R, and hence contacts l5 and 2! of this relay open and cause relays 2H and 2P to become deenergized.

When the train passes signal 4, relay 43 becomes energized by a circuit passing from terminal B, through contact 25 of rela 4R, front point of contact 26 of relay 4H, and the winding of relay GS to terminal 0. Relay is, upon becoming energized, completes its own stick circuit passing from terminal B, through contact 25 of relay 4R, contact Zl of relay 3S, and the winding of relay is to terminal 0. When relay 4H becomes deenergized by the opening of contact 7 of relay GR, contact 25 of relay 4H will remain closed at its front point long enough for relay 48 to become energized, and will then become closed at its back point, completing a second stick circuit for relay 48, passing from terminal B, through the back point of contact 26 of relay 3H, contact 21 of relay 4S, and the winding of relay as to terminal 0.

When the train leaves section 3T, the reverse energizing circuit for relay 2H will become closed, passing from terminal B, through the back point of contact ll of relay 4H, conductor It, winding of rela 2H, contact l5 of relay 2R, conductor I l, contact H of relay BR, and the back point of contact l2 of relay ll-I to terminal 0.

The right-hand portion 24 of the winding of relay ZP will now be energized by a circuit passing from terminal B, through contact 28 of relay 48, contact E9 of relay 3R, conductor 2t, contact 2! of relay 2R, mid tap 22 of relay 2P, portion 2 1 of the winding of rela 21?, contact ill of relay 2R, conductor I l, contact l3 of relay 3B, and the back point of contact :2 of rela til-I to terminal 0.

polarized signal relay, including a trafiic responsive contact for the portion of track between said signals for also controlling said polarized signal relay, including a directional control relay, and including means responsive to a train upon passing the signal in advance after having passed over the track between said signals for energizing said directional control relay, the combination comprising, a neutral relay, an operating winding for said neutral relay comprising a first and second portion and connected in multiple with said polarized signal relay, a common terminal for said first and second portions, and a control circuit path connected between said common terminal and one of the terminals of the source of current for the control circuits for said polarized relay including contacts controlled by At the same time, portion 23 of the winding of relay 2P will be deenergized, and will be included in a shunt path passing from mid tap 22 of relay 2?, through contact 25 of relay 2R, conductor 29, contact 59 of relay 3R, contact 28 of relay ts, back point of contact l? of rela ll-I, conductor l6, and portion 23 of the winding of relay 2P, With portion E l of the Winding of relay 2P energized, contacts ill and H of relay 2P are closed at their front points.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a railway signal control system including a polarized signal relay controlled by pole changing contacts of a control relay for a signal in advance of the signal which is controlled by said said directional control relay and by said control relay for said signal in advance connected in multiple with each other and also including a traflic responsive contact for the portion of track between said signals.

2. In an arrangement for controlling a neutral relay over the control conductors of a polarized control circuit scheme, the combination comprising, the winding of said neutral relay provided with a mid tap and arranged so that if a given terminal of a source of current is connected with said mid tap and if the opposite terminal of the same source of current is connected with either of the ends of said winding the magnetic flux generated by either of the two portions of said winding will be in the same direction, a control conductor for said neutral relay connected between said mid tap and a given terminal of the source of currentfor said polarized control ciring and having a second terminal for each of said portions which are so arranged that if a given terminal of a source of current is connected with said common terminal and if the opposite terminal of the same source of current is connected with either of said second terminals the magnetic flux generated by either of said two portions will be in the same direction, a control conductor for said neutral relay connected between said common terminal and a given terminal of the source of current for said polarized control circuit scheme, and said second terminals connected across the conductors of said polarized control circuit scheme.

4. In combination with a polarized control circuit scheme including a source of current and a pair of control conductors, a neutral relay having a common terminal for two portions of its winding and having a second and a third terminal for the opposite ends of said portions respectively, means for connecting said terminals with the control conductors and with the source of current for said polarized control circuit scheme to energize each of said portions, and means for shunting each of said portions while the other of said portions is energized.

5. In combination with a polarized control cir-' ranged to short-circuit each of said portions upon itself While the other portion is energized.

6. In combination with a polarized control circuit scheme including a pair of conductors, a neutral device, an operating winding for said neutral device comprising a first and a Second portion, a circuit arranged to energize said first portion including a third conductor and one of the conductors of said polarized control circuit scheme, and a second circuit arranged to energize said second portion including said third conductor and the other of the conductors of said polarized control circuit scheme.

7. In combination with normal and reverse control circuits including a source of current and a pair of control conductors for energizing a Dolarized device, a neutral device, an operatin winding for said neutral device comprising a first and a second portion and connected in multiple.

with said polarized device, a common terminal for said first and second portions, a control conductor for said neutral device connected between said common terminal and one of the terminals of the source of current for the control circuits for said polarized device, a control circuit for said neutral device including said source of current and said control conductor and one of the conductors for said polarized device, and a second control circuit for said neutral device including said source of current and said control conductor and the other of the conductors for said p0- larized device.

PAUL H. CRAGO. 

